Hurricane Ian likely to affect travel for days as preparations intensify

Ian was upgraded to a Hurricane early Monday morning and is expected to strengthen rapidly over the course of the day.

With residents in Florida filling sandbags and boarding up homes as they prepare for the effects of the storm, the disruptions to travel are becoming a bit clearer with cruise lines rerouting ships, ports closing and federal aviation officials cautioning flight disruptions are likely over the coming days

As of midmorning Monday, Hurricane Ian was still over the Caribbean Sea, with tropical storm-force winds expected at the popular tourist destination of Grand Cayman during the afternoon hours. As it approaches the Gulf of Mexico and the Gulf Coast, the storm is expected to bring heavy winds and rain.

Emergency officials throughout Florida are urging people to be on alert because the path of the storm is not certain.

"You will see storm surge in places like southwest Florida even though the storm is expected to be 100, 150 miles off the coast of southwest Florida," he said.

Even people with tickets that are normally un changeable can change their itineraries to avoid or leave unsafe areas because of the travel alert issued by airlines.

President Joe Biden declared a state of emergency in Florida over the weekend ahead of the storm.

There are travel advisories issued by the four largest U.S. airlines for destinations most likely to be impacted by Ian. The states of Florida and Jamaica are included in the alert.

The three legacy U.S. carriers have a general policy of waiving change fees on domestic flights and those from the U.S. in the Caribbean.

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If you check the specific terms of the alert, you will know when to rebook and when to begin your travels.

All of these airports may see flight delays related to these weather conditions, according to a video posted to social media by the Federal Aviation Administration.

We will be watching that very closely to make sure we are doing the best we can for keeping everybody safe and out of those airports.

The FAA wants people with air travel plans to be in close contact with their airline. It's a good idea to know your airline's app.

There are a lot of flights between Florida and key Northeast destinations like New York and Boston.

Air, sea and space logistics affected

As residents and visitors in the western Caribbean and Florida prepare for the effects of Ian, the upcoming bad weather is having an impact on a variety of air, sea and space operations in Florida.

While initial forecasts seem to suggest the storm is more likely to have a major impact on Florida's Gulf Coast, along the state's Space Coast, NASA decided not to move forward with its next launch attempt for Artemis I.

There were mechanical issues that marred the Labor Day weekend launch attempt. It is not clear when the next attempt will take place.

The opening of the new Terminal C will lead to some planned changes being held off. JetBlue and Caribbean Airlines are postponing their move to the new terminal because of uncertainty over what will happen over the next few days.

The airport is keeping a close eye on Ian to identify the impact on operations.

The officials at the airport are making sure the safety of their team, travelers, and facilities is a priority.

Even though some itineraries have been altered due to the effects of HurricaneFiona, cruise lines are still making contingency plans. Multiple ports are at risk of closing in the coming days due to several lines redirecting ships.

Cruise lines will usually make itinerary changes due to hurricanes and other tropical storms.

Canceling a trip and travel insurance

There are important questions to consider if you are planning on traveling to a destination that may be affected in the coming days.

• If you’re currently at a destination that may be affected by the storm system, what type of backup travel arrangements might you need if you want to leave earlier than planned?
• If you have a trip to the potentially affected region planned in the coming days, do you have a travel insurance policy that you purchased prior to the storm being named, and what are the terms? How long do you have to decide whether to cancel? (Once a storm is named, it’s generally too late to buy a policy that will cover your expenses.)

It is important to answer these questions with an eye on advance planning in order to protect the investment you have made in a trip.

Bottom line

The effects of Hurricane Ian are expected to grow as it moves toward Florida.

As residents prepare for the wind and rain likely to come this week, now is the time to plan, whether you are traveling to an area that might be affected or looking to end your trip early in an area that is in the path of the rain.

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